Don't forget!  If you live in the Milwaukee/Racine area, the HLAA Chapter meeting for that area is coming up!  Details below.  If you have questions, you can contact Caroline at carolinesumm@yahoo.com or Jean at szaboshhh@yahoo.com   Meetings are held at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in West Allis, WI.

Hello all!
It's that time again to send you all friendly reminders! Our next upcoming meeting is Thursday, May 7th at 6:30pm at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, lower conference room. Jean will provide the updates on the progress of the HLAA WALK 4 HEARING!!!! The WALK 4 HEARING will be held at the Lake Front in Milwaukee by next year 2010!!! You don't want to miss this event!!! Your participation will be much appreciated!

For more information regarding the WALK 4 HEARING - http://hlaa.convio.net

We hope to see you at the meeting!
Caroline and Jean

Everyday I get emails from readers with different questions and situations.  Out of all of them, probably the story that I hear about most is how difficult it is to maintain relationships with friends, relatives, co-workers, ect.  For those of you out there that are not familiar with the challenges of hearing loss, here's a link to another publication that did a story on it.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/lifestyles/43002652.html

Recently, I contacted a few of our local news organizations to see if they were planning on 'featuring' any stories on hearing loss in May.  May is National Hearing Month.  So far, I still have not heard back from any of those that I contacted.  I can understand that they are all pretty busy these days with the political, financial and jobless news, but when you have hearing loss, you deal with a lot of these major topics everyday in that you are constantly trying to figure out ways to stay ahead of the game and in the hearing world. 

The above story gives a little more perspective on this topic. 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2009 Tami Klink

I've been in the hearing loss world for most of my life and there is something that I just don't get.  When you go to an audiologist, you leave with the following:

1.  You have a hearing loss.

2.  You have information on the hearing aids they want to sell you.

3.  You are shocked that your insurance probably won't pay for this.

4.  You know (deep down) that you probably should pay thousands of dollars so that you can continue to 'live' in the hearing world.

But, there's a really big piece of this puzzle missing!  You don't have any information on what other resources/services are out there.

I cannot understand why most Audiologists don't give you a piece of paper that has all of the support groups, online hearing resources, ect. on it.  Are they afraid that if all of us somehow get in touch with one another that we will find a better, less expensive way to address our hearing problems?  Are they uncomfortable that we may find out that the product that they are recommending really isn't that great?  Or better yet, are they concerned that we may find out that the audiological evaluation that we just paid for wasn't as good as it should have been?

I can't tell you how many audiologists I've been in touch with that will not give out this additional information.  I know that when I started the HLAA-Lake Country Chapter hearing loss group, I sent the announcement along with information on the group to all of the Audiologists in Waukesha County.  Out of the 34 places that it went to, I got one response and that was from a place that was interested in getting the names of the members so that they could sell their hearing aids to us.  Not a single one handed out the information to their patients.  And, there is no charge for anyone in our group to join or attend meetings!  So, they couldn't very well justify their decision on withholding the information based on the fact that we were trying to make money off of this segment of the population.  I run into people all of the time that are so frustrated and don't know how to get this information.  It's not that hard!  There are many groups/resources out there that will give you all of the information that you need free of charge.  For those of you that don't have internet access/computers, this will be even more difficult to find.  Why don't they want us to know about the State services, TEPP voucher program, Public venues with Assisted Listening Devices?  Talk about becoming totally dependent on the audiologist...

There are many places out there that are more interested in selling hearing aids rather than becoming a team player with the patient.  I think that all audiologists should be required by the State to also give out this additional information.  It should be viewed as a consumer right.  After all, how many of us go out and purchase other big ticket items without first being able to research our choices?

That's my beef for the week.  Have a good one!

Copyright 2009 Tami Klink

I keep hearing people who live with hearing loss (either themselves or family members), talk about the pros and cons of joining a support group.  Here are a few of the comments I've gotten in the last few months.

"I wish my family member would join a group so that he/she would finally realize that they are not alone in this world and have options.'

"I know that I have hearing loss, but I don't think it's bad enough yet to spend any time researching it."  Reply from this persons' spouse, "I would love for you to go to one of these groups so that we can finally address the problem."

"My family just doesn't understand that they are the problem, not me.  If they would just speak louder/clearer, I would be able to understand them.'

"The last thing that I want to do is talk about myself in front of a bunch of strangers.  I am embarrassed to be thought of as being disabled just because I can't hear."

"Hearing loss support groups are for old, retired people that don't have anything better to do.  I'm not that old and certainly don't have time to go to these meetings."

All of the above are valid points!  And, we all know that one of the hardest things to do is to admit that you may have an issue that needs to be addressed.  But, seriously, have you sat down and made a list of your challenges lately?  Do you hesitate to seek help if it's for a medical problem or something to do with work?  What is your quality of life really like now that you don't hear everything that you should?  Are you one of those 'closet' people with hearing loss that spend time researching how best to live in the hearing world?  Wouldn't it be nice to be part of a majority at a meeting and 'hear' what others are going through?  How about learning some new ways of dealing with all of this in a positive supportive environment?

If you answered yes to any of the above, I would strongly urge you to check out your local hearing loss support group.  If you don't know if one exists, just go to www.hearingloss.org and click on find support/chapters.  There's a map of the U.S. where you click on a state and every group's information will come up. 

What are you waiting for?  Believe me, your hearing loss is not going to miraculously get better one day.  This is a lifestyle that you will now have to learn how to accept.  Oh wait, I forgot!  It really is fun not hearing those around you and then getting frustrated everyday...

Have a great week!

Copyright 2009 Tami Klink

I know!  A very strange title for those of you that don't live in the hearing loss world.

Don't forget to join the live webchat on March 19, 2009 at 7:00pm Eastern time.  The topic will be "Everything you ever wanted to know about ear molds, but were afraid to ask'.  More information can be found by clicking on the link below.  You can also submit questions ahead of time if you wish.  This link will also take you to the previous live webchat transcripts if you want to get caught up on other topics.

http://www.hearingloss.org/Community/schedule.asp

Have a great week!

Copyright 2009 Tami Klink

Here's a brief wrap-up of what our Hearing Loss Association of America Chapter in Wales did for 2008.  We are all looking forward to an exciting 2009!

Meetings are held the second Thursday of the month at the Wales Community Center in Wales, WI.  We are open to the public with no fees being charged to be a part of our group.  When we met for the first time in April 2008, we had 17 in attendance.  As of Dec. 2008, we have 32 in the group. 

Topics that we discussed, had speakers for or learned more about included:

Cochlear Implant personal Stories

State of Wisconsin Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

TEPP Voucher program

Milwaukee Rep. Theater Assistive Listening Devices for their performances

Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Audiology Services

Wales/Genesee Fire Department - Communication with the D/HOH

Equipment available for the home/office for those with hearing loss

Watched and Supported several members of our group as they got hearing evaluations and in some cases hearing aids or Cochlear Implants!

As you can see, we've been busy!  It's been great to meet all of the 'local' D/HOH and learn more about the positive aspects of living with hearing loss.  See you in 2009!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2009 Tami Klink

 We are preparing for the HLAA annual Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT) training to take place at San Diego State University early in February.  Thirty people applied, and 17 have been selected.  The applicants are of very high quality this year and from diverse fields.  The focus will be on HAT in the workplace and how to advocate for it.

All names and towns have been changed to further protect the identity of the person that has graciously given me permission to tell their story to all of you.  Thanks to all that have sent me their stories.  I will continue to edit and post them as time allows.

Gina is a 48 year old woman living in California with her husband and 2 college aged children.  She has had hearing loss for the past 10 years.  She wears 2 digital BTE (behind the ear) hearing aids and likes to think that she has been very proactive on dealing with her hearing loss. 

About 2 years ago, when the youngest child left for college, Gina noticed that she was no longer actively participating in life.  The things that used to bring her joy, didn't have the same effect on her anymore.  She was much more content to just stay at home and 'be safe'.  She attributed this to the kids being gone as well as having more time to herself.  For many years, she was busy with the kids schedules and never gave a second thought to being in the public arena with hearing loss at her side.  Now, that the schedule has pretty much dwindled down to nothing, she feels like she is in a rut.

Her husband has continued on with his daily life and she feels like she is being left behind.  She's not having days of just wanting to stay in bed, but her energy level has dropped and she find that she is putting off things to tackle on another day.  Her house is not as organized as it once was and she finds no joy in going out with her other friends for coffee or shopping trips.  She's also noticed that if she is at home, she tends not to put in her hearing aids since no one is there.  What was once a daily thing, is now not even thought about unless her husband, upon arriving home from work, asks her if she has her hearing aids in.

After much prodding from him, she did make a doctors' appointment to see if maybe she was having some depression issues.  The doctor unfortunately offered to give her some medication, but really didn't seek to find the whole story.  Gina took the pills for about a week and noticed that they really made her feel out of touch and wanting to take quite a few naps during the day.  So, she stopped taking them.  This eliminated the 'zone' that she was in, but put her right back where she started in that she still was not 'feeling' happy or useful.

It would be another 4 months before the kids came back for the summer from College, so Gina just chalked it up to the winter doldrums.  But, deep down, she knew something was not right.  She made an effort to have her hearing aids in when her husband got home from work, but there were still times when she forgot which caused her husband to get a little irritated with her.  The Valentines' Day decorations were still up in the house when Easter came around and everyone who knew Gina, got the feeling that things weren't right in her world.

When the kids went back to school in the Fall, Gina had gotten to the point where she was now having more bad days than good ones.  The time came for her annual Hearing Evaluation and even though her loss had not changed, the audiologist that had seen her for the past 15 years could tell that she was just not herself.  So, he suggested that she join a support group that met in his office once a month.  Gina had never done this before and wasn't quite sure she really needed it.  After all, who really wants to sit around with a bunch of old people and talk about all of the negative things going on in your life?

The day arrived and reluctantly, Gina went.  Upon arrival to the meeting, she was very surprised to see people of all ages there.  Maybe this would not be as bad as she thought it was going to be...

The group started with introductions and once it got to Gina, she was starting to realize that these people might be able to give her a few tips on things that she just had not thought about when dealing with her hearing loss.  One of the other women started talking about how hard it was to stay on task when the house was empty.  Gina could certainly relate to this!  Once the kids had left for college, she really didn't have anything to do except clean the house and then sit around being bored.  If you don't have anyone around you all day, you tend to get out of the real world.  Gina didn't like to watch TV that much and she knew that most of her other friends worked or volunteered.  She realized that during the past 20 years, she had focused on the 'now' and forgotten to plan for the future.  Boy, did she have a lot of work to do!

She got home from the meeting and started to make some notes on things that she had always wanted to do.  There had never been any time for them since she had the kids to take care of and before she knew it the years had flown by and there she was....sitting and twiddling her thumbs.  She started talking to her husband about her ideas and he was very supportive in helping her to figure out a way to start doing some of them. 

Fast forward to a year later and Gina is now back in the mix.  She's started working part-time at a flower shop and feels like she is doing something constructive again.  She still has to deal with the daily frustrations of hearing loss, but finds that given the choice, she would much rather be 'among the living' vs. wondering what she is going to do to help the day pass faster.

In retrospect, she now knows that no matter how good of a wife and mother she was, she forgot to think about herself.  This may sound selfish to those of you that don't understand, but there are a lot of people out there without hearing loss that find themselves in the same predicament.  You spend your years taking care of the family and one day wake up and realize that it's time to move on.  But, you forgot to get on the bus for that phase of life.

Gina loves the fact that she can now 'smell the roses'. 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Well, it's that time of year again.  Family gatherings, office parties, getting together with friends...

For the person with hearing loss, this can be a big problem.  Especially if the people that you are around have no idea what it's like to live with a hearing loss.  No matter how many times you explain your ideal way of communicating, it falls on 'deaf' ears.  So, you eventually find that you are in a corner and becoming a non-participatory observer at the gathering.  BORING!

Sure, it's fun to 'eavesdrop' on the conversations around you if you are a good lip reader, but you have no one to say a humorous comment to when you see a pretty interesting conversation going on.  And, people would be absolutely horrified to know that you can 'hear' what they are saying even though you are not in their general vicinity.  I've had people get quite angry with me when I've jumped in from across the room and added to the topic.  They look at me differently and I can see that my trust quotient has dropped significantly.  Of course, I don't chime in when I see that it's a personal conversation, but I have had people tell me that I'd make a great spy.  They have no idea how hard I work at lip reading and for the most part really couldn't care less.  Throw some alcohol in the mix and that's when people say things that they really shouldn't.  But, it does get quite humorous and I have some great stories to share with Brian on the way home.

Since getting my FM system, I've learned to alert those around me as to how it works and my ability to hear a lot more than most of them can with just their ears.  Some people clam right up and others get a little irritated with the fact that they now have to watch what they say.  There have been times when I've changed the settings on my receiver so that I can only hear what is coming at me and nothing from behind me.  Sometimes, you just don't need to know about the latest rumor or argument someone has had.  The hardest thing is not saying anything when I hear my name come up.  People who I thought 'got it' will move on and in some cases, say some pretty hurtful things about my intelligence or lack of hearing ability when they think they are out of my hearing range.  You have to develop a thick skin and learn to let things go.  Yeah, Right!

So, with the Holidays coming up, here a few tips for you.  I must acknowledge Dr. Sam Trychin on some of these things.  He's a very lucky guy in that not only does he have hearing loss, he's also made it his life work to educate and pass on his knowledge to others living in the same world.  And, he's married to an audiologist!  Talk about having the best hearing health care right in your house!  If you would like to know more about him, he has published several books and even has a workshop series on hearing issues.  His website is:  www.trychin.com  He will also be hosting a live webchat via the Hearing Loss Association of America website on Dec. 11th at 7pm ET.  You can submit questions to him ahead of time and he will be interacting with those that are 'present' via computer world on that date/time.  Just go to the HLAA website located at www.hearingloss.org and click on the Live webchat ad. 

Tips for surviving the Holidays in the Hearing World

1.  Be up front with those around you as to what you can and cannot hear.  I know none of us likes to draw attention to what some perceive as a deficit.  But, come on, how are we supposed to even begin to get on a level playing field if our opponents don't know the rules of the game?  Do you really want to answer a question wrong or totally go off topic with one of your comments just because you didn't hear all that was being said?  Do you know how ridiculous this makes you look?  Take a few minutes to let the others around you know how best to communicate with you.  The music playing in the background may be a nice ambiance enhancement for them, but for us, it's one more thing to try and tune out and boy, does it interfere with our hearing capability.  A lot of us will be put in a situation of only hearing noise, not language once the background music starts.  Think of what you hear if you are underwater at a very busy swimming pool.  That is very similar to what those with hearing loss hear all of the time once you add too much auditory stimulation into our world.  Our brains just can't process all of it!  Even if we are wearing hearing aids.  And, mentally, you have no idea how hard we are now working to just focus on the person talking to us.  No wonder we look like we are in another world at times.  We are tired!  So, don't be afraid to ask the host to turn down the Christmas Carols or better yet, see if there is a quiet corner away from any speakers where you can have your back against the wall.  This will eliminate a lot of the background noise from behind you that tends to interfere with your speech comprehension.  And, it gives you something to lean against! (ha)

2.  I was once with a group of friends at a party and in the process of updating them on my latest hearing aids, one of them actually said to me, "now that I know how bad your hearing is, it makes total sense why you are such a crafter".  What?  Are you trying to tell me that all that I am capable of doing is knitting, making stained glass, ect. because of my hearing loss?  Needless to say, I had to keep my response to myself.  Just when you think someone 'gets it', you realize that you have a lot more educating to do.  It's very true that Hearing Loss may not take your life, but I've seen a lot of people that have let it destroy it.  There are a lot of us out here that have lots of issues such as isolation, discrimination, depression and lack of self-esteem.  You get people with looks of "What's the Big Deal' when you start telling them about your hearing loss.  I guess that the best thing to do when that happens is to turn the topic of the conversation back to them.  After all, it's quite obvious that is their main interest.  Learn to have a sense of humor at these gatherings.  And, I usually find that the people that have this attitude toward others with any type of physical problem tend to validate my theory of 'What goes around, comes around'.

3.  Give yourself a break!  After you've been working so hard to hear all that is being said, you need to take a time-out.  If this means that you need to go and see what needs to be done in the kitchen, go outside for few minutes or go and sit in that corner away from all of the activity.  It will give your brain a rest and you will be much better prepared to jump back in and tackle the next conversation.

4.  If you are going to be at a dinner party, try and pick the people that are going to be seated on either side of you with the intent that you are familiar with their way of communication and you will have a much easier time keeping up with the conversation.  I find that if I openly declare what the topic is, I can usually put together the missing pieces via lip reading if I'm not getting the whole thing via my ears.  Repeat some of what they are saying when you respond to validate that you are still on the right topic.  If they know you very well at all, they will understand and in all likelihood start repeating what you say as part of their response.  If you know that the seating is pre-arranged, contact the host/hostess and request the people that you wish to sit next to.  I know that this is not always possible, and if that's the case, see if you can at least sit with your back to the wall at the end of a table.  If there are several tables being used, choose the one that is on the fringes of the room.  That way, you won't be right in the middle of all of the noise.

5.  One of our many faults in the Hearing Loss World is that we tend to take over the conversation.  It's the safest way for us to have control of what is being said.  I'm very guilty of this.  After all if we are the ones doing the talking, we don't have to work as hard at listening.  But, the downside to this is that people will tend to think of you as a know-it-all and it will also give them the impression that you are really full of yourself! (ha)  So, try and give up some of that control and get on the roller coaster.  The ride may get a little bumpy, but at least you are giving others the chance to be a part of the conversation.

6.  When all else fails, and you are really not doing a good job at keeping up with the conversations, have a signal for the person that you are with that will let them know that you are totally lost.  If Brian or the kids are with me, all that I have to do is give them a certain look and they know to jump in and start saving my butt.  The other side of this is that if I start to answer things incorrectly, they also let me know that I'm screwing up.  Some people have a problem with this tactic and get very irritated with the person that is trying to help them out.  Wrong attitude!  If you want those around you to be on your team, you have to give them permission to let you know when you have not heard something right.  Sure, it can be embarrassing, but that's where a sense of humor comes in. 

7.  I miss the punchline of jokes!  I can't tell you how many times I've had to ask one of my family members later to tell me the ending.  Then, I get frustrated when they can't remember!  If someone you are with is telling a joke, they usually tend to lower their voice when it's time for the punchline.  If you can't hear them and your lip reading skills aren't working either (they tend to lower their heads also), don't be afraid to ask the person next to you to repeat.  Holiday and family gatherings are great places to hear new stories and jokes.  Have a few of your own to share. 

8.  To drink or not to drink...  I've seen some people that have hearing loss get so much better at following the conversations when they've had a few drinks.  Why?  They are more relaxed and less hesitant.  But, there are also those that should put the glass down and stay on top of their game.  Check with your friends and family to see which category you fit into.  I don't drink because I tend to really have a hard time following the conversation once I've lost my concentration.  So, in my family, I'm always the designated driver! 

Enjoy the season and take advantage of all of the gatherings.  Sure, it's easier to stay home and be 'safe', but you really will be missing out on a lot of fun.  And besides, how will you find out what Aunt Edna is up to if you don't go to the party? 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink 

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) has been pushing for hearing aid coverage in federal health plans.  HLAA learned that several of the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) insurance plans have expanded their coverage to include coverage of hearing aids for adults. 

The Federal Government is the largest employer in the U.S.  The FEHB program is often seen as a model program that serves to show the way for other insurers.  HLAA will be watching to see whether more carriers pick up expanded hearing health coverage.

Ask your employer if they cover hearing aids in your plan now.  Let HLAA know if they do.  If your employer doesn't provide similar coverage, show them what's happening with the FEHB.  For more information on HLAA, please go to their website at:  www.hearingloss.org

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Hey Milwaukee!  Hearing Loss Association of America has just announced that the National Convention for HLAA in 2010 will be held in Milwaukee, WI!  

Every year, HLAA holds a National Convention somewhere in the U.S.  (For 2009, it is being held in Nashville, TN.)   Milwaukee finally gets the chance to show all of the people who have hearing loss in their lives what great people live here.  Congratulations!

If you have any questions about the 2010 convention, please contact Nancy Macklin, Director of Events and Planning at HLAA.  Their website is:  www.hearingloss.org

Get the Brats and Beer ready.  We've got company coming to town!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Thru the efforts of the Hearing Loss Association of America ( www.hearingloss.org ), a new online social community has been set up on the web specifically for Hard of Hearing "young adults" (ages 18 -35) who want to meet their contemporaries in their home towns and around the country.

It's sort of a Hard of Hearing Facebook and gives young adults the opportunity to meet and interact with people their own age who have a hearing loss - something they don't always have an opportunity to do in their daily life in school, at work or even socially.

If you would like to check this group out, please go to http://hearinglossnation.ning.com/ 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

Thanks to the HLAA National office for the following information.

By going to the link below, you can register to win an XBox 360 and also request a set of free ear plugs!  The website, Earbud.org is trying to get teens and young adults to start thinking about their hearing and ways to protect it.  So, if you know of someone that goes to loud venues and may need some ear protection, sign them up!  Who knows, they may be the lucky winner of the XBox 360.

Here's the link:  http://www.earbud.org/multi/form.php

Have a great week!

Another personal story for you.  Again, I don't use the persons' real name so that their privacy is protected.  So far, over 8,000 of you have sent me your stories.  I will try my best to get them in a column!

Ed is a 35 year old from the Midwest.  He is married and has 4 children.  Ed has had a mild to profound loss in the mid to high tones for about 5 years now.  He first started noticing that he was not hearing everything when the 2nd child was born and his wife pointed out that he did not hear the child crying at night while asleep.  He also noticed that he was not hearing the alarm clock in the morning and his wife was having to wake him up.

As far as the cause for Ed's hearing loss, he's still trying to put the pieces together on that one.  He thinks that it might have something to do with being a volunteer for the annual 4th of July fireworks show in his town each year.  He started helping set off the fireworks display when he was in his early 20's and being a guy, just didn't see the need for wearing his ear protection all of the time.  Besides, 'it was almost impossible to talk to the other guys if you had earplugs in'.  He doesn't recall any particular moment when his ears were painful or he thought that maybe this could be hurting his hearing.

Ed's right ear has tested a little worse than his left.  He got his first audiological exam at the age of 29 and the recommendation then was to get 1 hearing aid for the right ear and then monitor the left one.  Unfortunately, Ed went to a hearing aid distributor located in a Department Store kiosk area.  He didn't know that much about hearing aids and was easily led to getting one that really was not a good fit for him.  When he tried to return it a couple of weeks later, he was told that since he had already worn it, they could not take it back due to 'health regulations'.  They also wanted to charge him for adjustments when he again came back after having had it for about 1 month.  So, eventually Ed started leaving the hearing aid in the box instead of wearing it due to the issues that he was having with it.

For those of you wanting to know more about hearing aid return policies, please go to my column on this.  Here's the link:  http://community.livinglakecountry.com/blogs/hears_to_life/archive/2008/04/28/hearing-aid-return-policies.aspx

After a couple of years, Ed realized that he was not 'hearing' all that he really should.  His wife was 'nagging' him about having to repeat things and there were even times when arguments were occur due to his not having heard something correctly.  With his children having high pitched voices, he was also missing a lot of what they were saying to him.  One day, his oldest son had a friend over and Ed overheard his son saying that his Dad was 'kind of dumb' since he sometimes answered his questions wrong.  This made Ed realize that he was not really setting a good example for his kids or even his wife by ignoring the problem.  So, he decided to investigate what options were out there.

This time, Ed decided to ask for some help as well as support from his wife.  He really didn't want to go back to the place where he had gotten his first hearing aid, but also didn't know of any other 'hearing aid stores'.  So, his wife got on the computer and started searching for answers.  They came across my columns and I got an email from the both of them.

We looked into what resources were available in their area and we were also able to find a good audiologist that Ed's company insurance would cover the cost of.  Unfortunately, they didn't have anything similar to our Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, but we were able to find a Hearing Aid distributor that was selling all brands of hearing aids.  They checked with the State Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and were able to narrow their choices down to a good one when it came to honesty and patient care.

Ed's wife went with him for the hearing test.  She was able to shed some light to the audiologist as well as Ed on just what he was missing and the circumstances surrounding the missed conversations.  This was very helpful in that it gave the audiologist a good look at what exactly Ed would need in the way of programming and type of hearing aid.  After ear mold fitting and trials of 2 different types of hearing aids, Ed was fitted with 2 aids once he realized how important it was to have binaural hearing.

Ed has now had his hearing aids for about 3 months.  He has noticed that he is getting his confidence back and things are going much better at home and work.  He says that the hardest part for him was admitting that there was a problem.  They had a few rough spots in the beginning and had to tell the kids how to help Dad out by not yelling for the first couple of weeks.  He's amazed at how 'loud' the world is, but also knows that it will take some time for his brain to adjust to all of the new sounds that the audiological nerve is sending to it.

Recently, his oldest Son had a Parents Day at school.  He asked Ed to come and talk about his job as well as his hearing loss.  This was a big step for Ed to take since he had spent so much time trying to hide what he thought was a deficit in his image to his peers.  But, he found that once he started speaking to the class, another inner door opened for him and this led to him being a lot more comfortable talking about his hearing loss.  It was nice to know that even though he had a hearing problem, this no longer had any effect on how he 'measured up' to others.  And, the kids had lots of questions on just how his hearing aids worked.   

Ed's wife has also become one of his biggest advocates in that she is now more tuned in to other people and doesn't hesitate to tell them about Ed's journey.  They've also started attending an HLAA group in their area.  Originally, they thought that most of the group would be retirement age, but were very surprised to see people close to their age that they knew from their town with hearing loss issues.

They are now looking into their State's version of the TEPP Voucher Program.  Since Ed doesn't sleep with his hearing aids in at night, he still has to depend on his wife to wake him up.  He also wants to be able to hear the phone ring at night since the kids are now starting to spend time away from the house.  So, this Christmas, his family is getting him a new phone as well as an alarm clock for the 'hearing challenged'.  And, Ed is looking into installing a loop system in his 'man room' so that when he has the guys over to watch football, he can hear every single comment concerning the game. 

Now, if those Chicago Bears could just win a bit more....

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

I'm still getting a lot of questions on where to go for more information on different topics regarding hearing loss.  So, I've compiled all that I know of in one column for you.  Feel free to click on the links.  Special Thanks to the Wisconsin Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in obtaining some of this information!

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):  www.asha.org/default.htm

ASHA is the professional, scientific and credentialing association for more than 127,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists, speech-language pathologists and Speech, Language and Hearing scientists.  Click on 'The Public" for resources.

Audiology Online:  www.audiologyonline.com

Source of news, information, training and education offerings (live E-seminars, recorded courses, text-based courses) from many manufacturers of hearing aids, cochlear implants, batteries, ect.  Many courses are free!

Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH):  www.cdhh.org

Provides comprehensive programs and services that enhance communication and promote independence.  Located in West Allis, WI.  Also home of the UniversaLink store where TEPP vouchers can be filled out and used for telecommunications equipment as well as many other D/HOH equipment needs.  Audiology Services are also located at the center.  This includes complete audiological evaluations, hearing aid fitting & selection and different classes for effective communication alternatives.  They can sell you any brand of hearing aid that you are looking for versus some 'Hearing Aid' stores that are restricted to selling only one brand.  This means that you will have several choices to find the best hearing instrument for your type of hearing loss and lifestyle.

DAWN (Disability Advocates Wisconsin Network):  www.dawninfo.org

Provides current information on state disability issues, state budget, legislative activity and national disability issue links.  Hearing aid legislation is currently included in their "Take Action" box.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alliance (DHHA):  www.dhha-wi.org

Provides opportunities for leadership and personal growth within the Signing (Deaf) community while respecting culture, language and a visual environment.

Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC):  www.deafbilingualcoalition.com

Promotes the basic human right of all deaf infants and young children to have access to language and cognitive development through American Sign Language (ASL).  National organization website at www.dbcusa.org

Deaf Empowerment (DE):  www.deafe.org

Provides services among Deaf and HOH individuals in the Fox River Valley area of Wisconsin.

Hearing Healthcare:  www.healthyhearing.com

Helpful information on hearing aids, hearing loss, cochlear implants, tinnitus and more.

Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA):  www.hearingloss.org

Has lots of information on hearing loss as well as a link to all State chapters. 

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD):  www.nidcd.nih.gov/index.asp

Provides research information, health information and topics, news & events including information on communication methods and devices for people with hearing loss.

PACER Center:  www.pacer.org

The mission of PACER Center is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet):  www.pepnet.org

A National network of regional centers providing resources, information, in-service training and expertise to enhance educational opportunities for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.

Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI):  www.svri.uwstout.edu/

Provides solutions to positively impact the future of persons with disabilities and others in the community through education, research and services.  Archived newsletters and publications from SVRI may be available on their website.

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA):  www.fda.gov/default.htm

Provides consumer health information.  Enter topic in "Search" engine.  For example:  Hard of Hearing, Hearing Loss, Deafness, ect.

Wisconsin American Sign Language Teachers Association (Wisconsin ASLTA):  www.wiaslta.org

Site for information for the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Sign Language Teachers Association.  ASLTA is the only national organization dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching of ASL and Deaf Studies at all levels of instruction.

Wisconsin Association of the Deaf (WAD):  www.wi-deaf.org

Site for information on State Chapter meetings and events.  National site is www.nad.org

Wisconsin Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (WisRID):  www.wisrid.org

Site for State information and events.  National website is:  www.rid.org

Wisconsin Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH):  http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/sensory/

Lots of information on everything from state programs to getting an interpretor for an event.  There are also regional offices located through out the state.

Dizzinews :  Is a vestibular disorders discussion group.  To subscribe, send an e-mail to:  majordomo@samurai.com  Leave the subject line blank.  In the body of the message type:  subscribe dizzinews

Meniere's Discussion Group :  www.menieres.org

Support and Information on Menieres as well as online discussion groups to join.

ParentDeaf-HH:  A list serve for the discussion of parenting issues faced by parents raising children who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Parents, educators and professionals are invited to subscribe.  This discussion list is sponsored by the American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) to provide a forum for parents to share their questions, concerns, successes and failures with others.  To subscribe, send an email message to listproc@list.educ.kent.edu.edu  Leave the subject line blank.  In the body of the message type:  subscribe ParentDeaf-HH and your real name(not your screen name!).

SayWhatClub:  www.saywhatclub.com

An on-line group of over 200 late deafened and hard of hearing people who provide support and encouragement to each other through e-mail.  If you'd like more information about joining the SayWhatClub, contact:  info@saywhatclub.com 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

This is a perfect example of how hearing loss can affect your job.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of stories like this out there, but we rarely read about them.  Click on the link below.  You would think that employers would do something about how they 'test' the HOH.

http://www.shhh.org/advocacy/employment.asp

UPDATE: 10/9/08  For those of you wanting to find out how this story ended, here's the verdict. 

http://www.hearingloss.org/advocacy/Employment.asp

Have a great week!

Jean Szabo and Caroline Ludka are the co-leaders for the Milwaukee/Racine Hearing Loss Association of America Chapter.  Here's what they are doing for the November 6, 2008 meeting!

They will be having a presentation by Dr. Stacy Ryan, Clinical Audiologist at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in West Allis, WI entitled, "How We Hear".  This presentation will show how the outer, middle and inner ear produce sound.  Dr. Ryan has given this presentation at different seminars and it is very educational as well as helpful.

The meeting will be held at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing located at 10243 W. National Ave. in West Allis, WI.  The meeting starts at 6:30pm.  All persons interested in hearing loss are welcome to attend.  There is no charge for the meeting. 

If you have any questions about the Milwaukee/Racine HLAA Chapter, please send Jean an email at szaboshhh@yahoo.com or Caroline at carolineLudka@yahoo.com

Wisconsin has several other HLAA chapters in the state.  If you would like to know more about them and where/when they meet, please go to http://www.hearingloss.org/chapters/index.asp  and click on the State of Wisconsin.

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

For those of you interested, we will hold our next meeting on Thursday, October 9, 2008 here in Wales.  Our speaker this month will be Tricia Chirillo from the Audiology Services Department at the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in West Allis, WI.  She also happens to be my Audiologist!

Tricia will be talking about the causes, detection, advocacy, testing, equipment available and solutions when it comes to hearing loss.  So, bring any questions that you may have and she will do her best to address them.

If you are interested in coming, here are the details on the meeting.

Location:  Wales Community Center - 216 W. South St. Wales, WI

Time:  6:30pm - 8:00pm

We currently have 32 members that are in our group now.  And, we just recently became an official Chapter with the Hearing Loss Association of America.  There is no charge to attend and you don't have to be a member of HLAA.  Family members, friends and co-workers are also invited to be a part of our meetings.  After all, they are the ones that live/work with all of us and probably need all of the help that they can get! (ha)

See you on October 9th!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

As promised, here's another State's resources for those of you not living in Wisconsin.  Special thanks to Judy Palnau from the Michigan Public Service Commission for sending me the information on the Cap-Tel Service as well as the Report to the Legislature from Jan. 2008.  If you have any questions for her, she can be reached at 517-241-3323.  It's rare that I actually hear from a governmental office and Judy went above and beyond in order to make sure that I got the correct information.

The following resources are for Michigan only.  I have included the links to their websites.  I would suggest that if you have questions, you should contact that particular resource for answers.

Michigan Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - http://www.madhs.org/

Dr. David Myers website on Hearing Loop systems and information on how they are used - www.hearingloop.org  This gentleman has taken a lot of time to find out all that he can regarding loop systems.  His work is known though out the world and he is actually going to be our keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Hearing Loss Association State Convention on Oct. 3rd and 4th in Menomonie, WI.  He's succeeded in getting many public venues looped in Michigan.  He KNOWS what he is talking about!  Kudos to you, David!

For those of you wanting to know what the Michigan population of Deaf and Hard of Hearing is, there are statistics by Counties on one of the State of Michigan government websites.  The link is:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Estimate_Report__02-05_119430_7.pdf    The data is from 2005.

The State of Michigan Disability Resource page is at http://www.michigan.gov/disabilityresources  There are several categories here that will take you to numerous informational things.

CapTel Service and equipment for Michigan:  http://www.michigan.gov/mpsc/0,1607,7-159-16400_17280-147050-,00.html

MPSC's Michigan Telecommunications Relay Center Advisory Board Report to the Legislature from Jan. 2008:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mpsc/mrc08_220030_7.pdf

E-Michigan Deaf and Hard of Hearing People website:  http://www.michdhh.org/  Lots of additional information and resource links!

And of course, the Hearing Loss Association of America has many chapters located in Michigan.  They also have Cochlear Implant Support Chapters.  These can be found at http://www.hearingloss-mi.org/ 

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink

I've gotten a few questions regarding the I Phone and it's lack of Hearing Aid Compatibility(HAC) from some readers.  As many of you know, when you get a new cell phone, there are some key things to consider before you walk out of the store!

First of all, in order to be HAC, it must be a T-3 or T-4 rated phone.  I've found that the T-4 rating works better for me with my FM system that I have on my hearing aids.  A T-3 causes buzzing in the background.  You must also make sure that your hearing aids have a T- Coil in them!  Without this, they won't work with a HAC compatible phone.  Kind of like not having cruise control in your car!

So, how do you check to see if this is going to work for you?  First of all, there are not many cell phone providers that really don't know much when it comes to a customer that has/uses hearing aids.  The only one that I've found in our area is the Verizon Store located in Delafield, WI.  And, when I got my FM system, we still had to work together on figuring out what was going to be the best for me.

I would highly recommend that you plan on being in the store for at least an hour.  Bring your hearing aids (you should be wearing them anyway!) along with any other equipment that you use with them (FM system, neckloops, ect.)  Make sure that you get the store to agree to your bringing back the phone in a few days if once you get home, it just isn't working out.  Have the customer service rep. call your new phone while you are still in the store to see if it's working correctly with your hearing aids/equipment.  You may have to step outside in order to avoid any other interference with the equipment that is in the store.  Take the time to call a friend and see if the conversation is understandable to you.  Make sure that you have someone call you so that you can see if you will be able to hear the ringtone.  If you have an FM system, make sure that the store programs the bluetooth feature into your phone and also shows you how to program it. 

If you do end up coming home with a phone that is not compatible, you have a few options.  First of all, contact the store and remind them (nicely) of the new FCC ruling that took effect in Feb. 2008.  It requires all cell phone providers to have at least 50% of their cell phone choices be HAC.  This means that they must be rated a T-3 or T-4.  It should be labeled on the cell phone box!  If they are refusing to give you your money back because they did not sell you the correctly labeled phone and you feel that you have no other options, you can file a complaint with the  FCC.  You can also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in your area. 

For more information on this, please go to the FCC website for an article on 'Hearing Aid Compatibility for Wireless Telephones'.  The link is http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/hac_wireless.html   If you want more information on HLAA, telecoils, ect.  Just click on the the word that you are looking for information on in the tags section located to the right of this column.  This will bring up any other columns that have discussed this topic.

Also, the Apple I Phone got an exemption from the FCC in that they are not requiring them to sell a version that is HAC.  Since Apple only has 1 cell phone on the market, they are not falling under the new FCC rule.  You would think that with all of the hype for the new I Phone, that they would have taken the time to install the HAC technology.  They are offering a neckloop that supposedly will convert the phone to HAC, but you will have to pay for it!  HLAA filed a complaint against them last year, but Apple found the loophole and is now able to leave the Hearing Loss Community out of their I Phone world. 

Bad business decision in these very competitive times!

Have a great week!

Copyright 2008 Tami Klink